Federal · Title 19 — Customs Duties

19 U.S.C. § 1594: Seizure of conveyances

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute defines rules for seizing vessels, vehicles, and aircraft in drug-related cases, including protections for innocent owners and provisions for cost liability when seizures are later determined improper.

Read the full statutory text
any vessel, vehicle, or aircraft; or the owner or operator, or the master, pilot, conductor, driver, or other person in charge of a vessel, vehicle, or aircraft; on the person; in baggage belonging to and accompanying a passenger being lawfully transported on such conveyance; or in the cargo of the conveyance if the cargo is listed on the manifest and marks, numbers, weights and quantities of the outer packages or containers agree with the manifest; Except as provided in paragraph (1) or subsection (c), no vessel, vehicle, or aircraft is subject to forfeiture to the extent of an interest of an owner for a drug-related offense established by that owner to have been committed or omitted without the knowledge, consent, or willful blindness of the owner. that are not manifested (or not shown on bills of lading or airway bills); or whose marks, numbers, weight or quantities disagree with the manifest (or with the bills of lading or airway bills); or concealed in or on such a conveyance, but not in the cargo; a lessee or person operating a conveyance under a rental agreement or charter party; and the officers and directors of a corporation; station managers and similar supervisory ground personnel employed by airlines; one or more partners of a partnership; representatives of the owner or operator in charge of the passenger or cargo operations at a particular location; and and other persons with similar responsibilities. The term “master” and similar terms relating to the person in charge of a conveyance includes the purser or other person on the conveyance who is responsible for maintaining records relating to the cargo transported in the conveyance. When a common carrier has been seized in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) and it is subsequently determined that a violation of such subsection occurred but that the vessel will be released, the conveyance is liable for the costs and expenses of the seizure and detention.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.